5+5 Dialogue: 14th Conference of Foreign Ministers opens in Algiers

The meeting is co-chaired by Algerian Foreign Minister Abdelkader Messahel and his French counterpart, Jean-Yves Le Drian.

Tunisia is represented by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Khemaies Jhinaoui.

The Conference held under the theme: ” Western Mediterranean: consolidation of overall, shared and sustainable socio-economic development to meet the region’s common challenges” will focus on economic and social development and strengthening co-operation in the security field in management of regional crises, particularly in Libya and the Sahel region, TAP underlined.

The Secretary General of the Arab Maghreb Union (AMU), the Secretary General of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) and the European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighborhood Policy also participate in the meeting.

The conference, which is also “an opportunity for exchanges on regional issues, particularly those relating to security, the fight against terrorism, de-radicalization and migration”, will culminate in an Algiers 5+5 Ministerial Declaration, according to TAP.

The 5 + 5 Dialogue brings together the five AMU countries (Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Libya and Mauritania) for the southern shore of the Mediterranean and Italy, France, Spain, Portugal and Malta for the Northern shore, TAP concludes.